“Like I said, I tracked the owner of the ship which led me to House Votair. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Overlord of Votair exiting House Danai’s stronghold after a meeting—so I followed them.”
He wouldn’t be Jin if he hadn’t.
“We need to learn more before we make any conclusions,” Jin said.
Kira understood what he was saying. There was every chance Votair was a red herring designed to draw their focus from the real enemy. Another proxy appointed by Danai to fight their battles.
Or maybe Danai had nothing to do with this at all and everything was simply coincidence.
“Either way, they’re becoming a problem I no longer want to deal with.” Kira sat back in her chair to stare across the plaza.
It was time to deal with them in a more permanent manner.
“Tell me about the one in charge,” she instructed.
“His name is Terrel. Their Overlord, and from what I gather, he’s ambitious.”
Kira made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. “Not surprising.”
It was always those with the most ambition who were the first to fall prey to the Tsavitee’s manipulations. It was like they had a sixth sense for those who were unhappy with their position but lacked the talent to achieve their dreams.
They’d done it with humans and now it looked like even the Tuann weren’t immune.
“They do have a type,” Jin agreed.
The Tsavitee would know how to use Terrel’s desires against him, luring him ever deeper until he compromised his values. Once he crossed that line, the Tsavitee would own him body and soul.
“I want a solution for the next time he goes after Joule,” Kira ordered.
Jin’s chuckle sounded evil. “I’ve already got a few ideas.”
Kira grunted. “As long as it gets me the results I want, you have clearance to create as big a splash as you want.”
She’d probably end up regretting that offer but that was a problem for future Kira.
Current Kira was more interested to know why the wanderers, the second most suspicious of those Jin was investigating, were paying a little too much attention to Kira’s balcony.
Kira tapped her finger on the table, surreptitiously indicating the group not far from them in the plaza. “How about our mysterious friends? Do any information gathering on them?”
“What kind of drone do you take me for?” Jin asked with a snort. “Of course, I did.”
Kira arched an eyebrow at him when he said nothing further. “And?”
“I found nothing to indicate they were anything other than what they portrayed themselves to be.” Jin moved up beside Kira, focusing on the group that had caught her attention. “I looked too.”
If Jin said he’d looked, it meant he had left no stone uncovered. In this, he was absolutely trustworthy, putting most intelligence networks to shame.
Either the wanderers were exactly what they appeared, or they were keeping a low enough profile that even Jin couldn’t get anything on them.
“Keep an eye on them anyway,” she told him.
She wanted to know the second there was any suspicious movement. Something about them set her instincts to tingling. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew there was more to them than what they were showing.
“I’ve already assigned a few of my spawn to keep an eye on them.”
Kira’s head snapped toward Jin as her mouth dropped open. “How many of them did you make?”
A smug pride radiated through their bond. “Enough that some would consider it an army.”
